KR20000023231A - Electronic control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An electrical control system is provided to eliminate the need for increase the amount of terminals of a connector for diagnosis, to reduce cost by standardization of a connector and to treat at low cost without change of options of hardware of a tester for disorder diagnosis. CONSTITUTION: An electrical control system is composed of many electric control units embedding memory devices(8,9) able to change writings and writing change control devices(9,11) controlling the writing change of the contents of the memory devices and a connector(7) connected to each electric control unit and having a separable writing change command device(6). Herein, the writing change devices of each electric control unit is operated by the writing change command transmitted from the writing change command device connected to the connector, and changes the writing of the memory contents of the memory devices when an identification code(10) transmitted from a writing change command device and an identification code memorized in the memory devices are accorded. Herein, the allocation of the terminals of a connector to each electric control unit becomes unnecessary by identifying the electric control units demanding writing change of the memory contents by the comparison of the identification codes. Thereby, the producing cost is reduced by standardizing the connector.

Description

Electronic control system

The present invention relates to a vehicle electronic control system having a plurality of electronic control units (hereinafter referred to as ECUs) for controlling an engine, an automatic transmission, and the like of the vehicle, in particular, selecting a control program stored in the storage means in each ECU. It is about a technique to call back.

As is well known, this type of vehicle electronic control system controls an engine, an automatic transmission, or the like based on a control program stored in an EEPROM (Electric Erasable & Programmable ROM), and when the contents of the control program are changed, For example, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-299852, a portable troubleshooting tester is connected via a connector, and program replacement is performed by a command from the troubleshooting tester.

However, the above publication assumes an electronic control system having a single ECU. For example, in an electronic control system having a plurality of ECUs that individually control engine control and shift control, the ECU of a program call exchange is provided. It is necessary to add a function for selecting.

Thus, for example, in the electronic control system B including the engine ECU 21 and the automatic transmission ECU 22 shown in FIG. 4, the program is transmitted by transmitting the start signal VPP from the failure diagnosis tester 6. It is comprised so that ECU 21, 22 of the side which requires slow exchange can be selected. In detail, each ECU 21, 22 is a connector for diagnosis through the common communication line 23 used for program replacement, etc., and the individual start command line 24 for the start signal VPP. It is connected to (25). As shown in Fig. 5, the communication line 23 is connected to an EEPROM 26 storing a control program and a ROM 27 storing a butt program for control program exchange, and these EEPROMs 26 and The CPU 28 is selectively connected to the ROM 27. The CPU 28 in normal operation is switched to the EEPROM 26, and executes engine control or transmission control based on the control program. When the start signal VPP is applied from the start command line 24, the CPU 28 is switched to the ROM 27. It is supposed to be.

When the control program of any of the ECUs 21 and 22 of the electronic control system B configured as described above is exchanged, first, for failure diagnosis through the interface cartridge 6a through the connector 25 of the electronic control system B The tester 6 is connected, and a request such as a minor number or a program ID is transmitted from the failure diagnosis test 6 to the respective ECUs 21 and 22 via the communication line 23. When it is confirmed that the vehicle model is the target based on the information returned from each ECU 21, 22, the failure diagnosis tester 6 starts the command line 24 of the ECUs 21, 22 that require program replacement. ), And the start signal VPP is transmitted. In response to the start signal VPP, in the target ECUs 21 and 22, the CPU 28 is switched to the ROM 27 to start the boot program, and the communication line 23 from the fault diagnosis tester 6 is executed. When a new control program is transmitted via the control program, the control program in the EEPROM 26 is exchanged by the CPU 28 in accordance with the boot program.

However, in the conventional vehicle electronic control system B, the number corresponding to the ECUs 21 and 22 is related to the transmission of the start signal VPP only to the ECUs 21 and 22 that require the program replacement. The start command line 24 is required. In recent years, the control targets of this type of system are rapidly expanding, and not only engines and automatic transmissions, but also brake and suspension relationships, for example, are electronically controlled. Therefore, as the ECUs 21 and 22 are expanded, the required number of start command lines 24 also increases, resulting in the need to increase the number of terminals of the connector 25 for diagnosis, and the control system B. When the number of units in the inside is different, the number of terminals of the connector 25 also changes, so that the connector 25 cannot be standardized, which is a factor in the cost up.

In addition, depending on the change of the connector 25, the hard diagnostic specification also needs to be changed (specifically, the specification of the interface cartridge 6a), but in general, this kind of trouble diagnostic tester is required. Since 6 is arrange | positioned for every dealership (dealer) of a vehicle, enormous cost will be required in order to implement the countermeasure whole.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to increase the number of terminals of the connector for diagnosing even when an additional ECU is added, to realize cost reduction by standardizing the connector, and to change the specification of the hard phase on the tester for failure diagnosis. It is to provide an electronic control system for a vehicle that can cope with low cost without requiring.

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an electronic control system for a vehicle in an embodiment when a failure tester is connected.

2 is a configuration diagram showing a connection state between each line and the ECU

3 is a flowchart illustrating the sequence of control program replacement.

Fig. 4 is an overall configuration diagram showing an electronic control system for a vehicle in a conventional example when a failure tester is connected.

5 is a configuration diagram showing a connection state between each line and the ECU

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: ECU (Electronic Control Unit) for Engine

2: ECU (electronic control unit) for automatic transmission

3: ECU for Electronic Control Unit

6: Trouble shooting tester (West exchange command means) 7: Connector

8: EEPROM (memory means) 9: ROM (west exchange control means)

10: identification code 11: CPU (west conversion control means)

In the electronic control system according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of electronic control units incorporating a call exchange control element for controlling the call exchange of the contents of the memory of the memory and the synchronization memory element can be shared with each of the electronic control units.共用) A connector which is connected at the same time and the element is detached from the call exchange command, wherein the call exchange control element of each of the electronic control unit is operated by a call exchange command transmitted from the call exchange command element connected to the connector, the call exchange command The identification code transmitted from the element is compared with the unique identification code stored in the storage element, and when the two codes match, the storage contents of the storage element are recalled.

Finally, by operating the call control elements of all the electronic control units and identifying the electronic control unit requiring the call back of the stored contents by matching the identification code, selectively operating the call control elements of the electronic control unit requiring call return. In order to achieve this, there is no need to allocate a connector terminal for each electronic control unit. In addition, the western exchange command element can also be realized by changing the software for transmitting the identification code.

In the electronic control system according to the second invention of the present invention, the plurality of electronic control units include an engine control unit.

In the electronic control system described in the third invention of the present invention, the plurality of electronic control units include a control unit for an automatic transmission.

The electronic control system of the fourth invention of the present invention is characterized in that the plurality of electronic control units include a control unit for an anti skid brake system.

Further, in the electronic control system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the storage element is characterized by being composed of an exchangeable EEPROM and / or an unswitchable ROM.

Further, in the electronic control system according to the sixth invention of the present invention, the call exchange control element is composed of a ROM and / or a CPU storing a control program.

In the electronic control system according to the seventh invention of the present invention, the slow exchange command element is constituted by a failure diagnosis tester.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electronic control system for a vehicle incorporating the present invention will be described.

As shown in Fig. 1, the electronic control system A of the present embodiment includes an engine ECU 1, an automatic transmission ECU 2, and an ABS ECU 3 for an active skid brake system. Each of the ECUs 1 to 3 has a common start command line 5 similarly to the common communication line 4, and is capable of attaching and detaching a failure diagnosis tester 6 as a slow switching command element. It is connected to the connector 7. As shown in Fig. 2, the communication line 4 is connected to each of the ECUs 1 to 3 with a replaceable EEPROM 8 as a storage element and a ROM 9 with a non-replaceable ROM.

In the EEPROM 8 of each of the ECUs 1 to 3, a control program for operating the engine, automatic transmission, or ABS which is a control target, or performing ABS diagnosis and failure diagnosis is stored, and a unique identification code ( 10) is remembered. The ROM 9 stores a boot program for collating the control program and checking the identification code 10 read from the control program.

The CPU 11 is provided in the EEPROM 8 and the ROM 9 so as to be selectively connected, and the CPU 11 in the normal case is switched to the EEPROM 8, and is controlled according to the control program (engine, automatic). The control of the transmission, ABS, etc. is executed, and when the start signal VPP is applied from the start command line 5, it is switched to the ROM 9 to start the boot program. In this embodiment, a slow switching control element is formed by the ROM 9 and the CPU 11 that store the control program.

Next, in the vehicular electronic control system A configured as described above, the procedure in the case of subjecting the control programs of the predetermined ECUs 1 to 3 to the west is described according to the flowchart of FIG. 3. The processing on the failure diagnosis tester 6 is executed by a CPU (not shown) built in on the basis of the button operation of the operator.

First, a failure diagnosis tester 6 is connected to the connector 7 of the electronic control system A via an interface cartridge 6a, and a communication line (1) is connected to each ECU 1 to 3 from the failure diagnosis tester 6. Requests such as minor numbers and program IDs are transmitted via 4) (step S1). In response to a request from the fault diagnosis tester 6, the ECUs 1 to 3 each return information such as their minor number and program ID (step S11), and based on the information, the fault diagnosis tester ( In step 6), it is checked whether or not it is the target ECU (step S2). In the case where the target ECU is not the target ECU, if the types of the engine, automatic transmission, ABS, and the like are different from each other and it is estimated that the target vehicle model is not the target vehicle, the subsequent processing is terminated.

In the case of the target ECU, the failure diagnosis tester 6 transmits the start signal VPP via the start command line 5 (step S3). As described above, in the present embodiment, since the start command line 5 is common between the respective ECUs 1 to 3, the start signal VPP is input to all the ECUs 1 to 3, and the CPU 11 enters the ROM (9). Switch to) to start the boot program (step S12). Subsequently, the failure diagnosis tester 6 transmits the identification coat 10 of the control program requiring the slow exchange to each of the ECUs 1 to 3 via the communication line (step S4), and the CPU 11 In accordance with the program, the identification code 10 stored in each EEPROM 8 is read (step S13) and collated with the received identification code 10 (step S14). The CPU 11 that does not match the identification coat 10 stops processing until the application of the start signal VPP ends, and the CPU 11 that the identification code 10 coincides with continues processing. .

Subsequently, the failure diagnosis tester 6 transmits a new control program via the communication line 4 (step S5), and the control program is a CPU that continues processing (a CPU whose identification code 10 coincides). It is received only at (11), and the test program is checked and checked in accordance with the boot program (step S15). After that, the troubleshooting tester 6 ends the transmission of the airway sign VPP (step S6), and in response to that, the switching from the EEPROM 8 to the ROM 9 is performed in each of the ECUs 1 to 3. The control program medium is activated to complete the program replacement process (step S16).

As described above, in the vehicle electronic control system A of the present embodiment, when the control program is exchanged, the boot programs of all the ECUs 1 to 3 are started, and program replacement is performed by checking the identification code 10. FIG. By identifying each of the ECUs 1 to 3 required, only a single start command line 5 is provided regardless of the number of installations of the ECUs 1 to 3. Therefore, as in the conventional example of selectively starting only the boot programs of the ECUs 21 and 22 that require program replacement, a start command line 24 is provided for each of the ECUs 21 and 22, thereby diagnosing. It is not necessary to assign the terminals of the connector 25 for use, and the connector 7 can be standardized to reduce the manufacturing cost.

When changing from the conventional example to the vehicle electronic control system A of the present embodiment, the identification code 10 is stored in the EEPROM 8 and the identification code 10 is compared with the boot program of the ROM 9. Since only the processing (step S14) is added, since all of them are software changes, they can be coped very easily, and the ROM 9 can be shared among the ECUs 1 through 3, The manufacturing cost can be further reduced.

On the other hand, the failure diagnosis tester 6 can also be realized by changing the shift phase only by adding the transmission process (step S4) of the identification code 10, compared with the specification change on the hard phase as in the conventional example. It can respond at extremely low cost.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the ECU 1 is mainly used for each control (engine, automatic transmission, ABS) necessary for driving of the vehicle. Although (3) was provided and the control programs in each of the ECUs (1) to (3) were recalled, the contents of the control program are not limited to those for traveling, for example, for the air conditioning control in the vehicle interior in the configuration of the embodiment. When an ECU, a navigation ECU, or the like is added, the control program may be configured to be recalled. Further, in the above embodiment, the control program was exchanged by the failure diagnosis tester 6 which also served as the program switching function, but a dedicated program replacement device may be used.

As described above, according to the electronic control system of the present invention, by identifying the electronic control unit requiring the exchange of the stored contents by checking the identification code, it is not necessary to allocate the connector terminal for each electronic control unit. Standardization can reduce manufacturing cost. In addition, since the failure diagnosis tester can be realized by changing the software for transmitting the identification code, it can cope with extremely low cost compared to the specification change on the hard.

Claims (7)

A plurality of electronic control units incorporating the callable storage elements 8, 9, and the call exchange control elements 9, 11 for controlling the slow exchange of the stored contents of the synchronization memory elements 8, 9; , And a connector 7 which is connected to each of the electronic control units 1, 2, and 3 in common and at which the western ring command element 6 is attached and detached. The call exchange control elements 9, 11 of the electronic control units 1, 2, 3 are each subject to a call exchange command transmitted from the call exchange command element 6 connected to the connector 7. Operating by matching the identification code 10 transmitted from the call exchange command element 6 with the unique identification code 10 stored in the storage elements 8, 9, so that both codes 10, ( And (10) match the contents of the gears of the storage elements (8) and (9) when they match. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic control units (1), (2), and (3) include an engine control unit. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic control units (1), (2), and (3) include a control unit for an automatic transmission. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic control units (1), (2), and (3) include a control unit for an anti skid brake system. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the memory elements (8) and (9) are constituted by a slow exchangeable EEPROM (8) and / or a non-suspendable ROM (9). 2. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein the slow switching control elements (9) and (11) comprise a ROM (9) and / or a CPU (11) storing a control program. 2. The electronic control system according to claim 1, wherein said slow ring command element (6) comprises a failure tester (6).